Judges 3

1 Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

The following are the nations the Lord left and used to test all those Israelites who had not known what it was like to be part of any of the wars in Canaan.

2 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:

(He did so to teach warfare to the later generations of Israel, particularly to those who had not previously experienced it.)

3 the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

They are: the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

4 They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to Yahweh’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

They were left there be to a test for the Israelites, to find out whether the Israelites would keep the Lord's commandments which he had given their forefathers through Moses.

5 The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

They lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

6 They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

The Israelites intermarried with them, marrying their daughters, giving their own daughters to their sons, and worshiped their gods.

7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight. They ignored the Lord their God and worshiped the images of Baals and Asherahs.

8 Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.

The Lord became angry with Israel, so he sold them to Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram Naharaim. The Israelites were subject to Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.

9 When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

But when the Israelites cried out to the Lord to help them, he provided someone to rescue them, Othniel, son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, and he saved them.

10 Yahweh’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.

The Spirit of the Lord came on him, and he became Israel's judge. He went to war with Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram, and the Lord handed the king over to Othniel, who was victorious.

11 The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

As a result, the country was a peace for forty years until Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.

12 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.

But once again the Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight, and because they did this the Lord gave power to Eglon, king of Moab, to conquer Israel.

13 He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

Eglon had the Ammonites and the Amalekite join him, and then attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the City of Palms.

14 The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

The Israelites were subject to Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord to help them, and he provided someone to rescue them, Ehud, son of Gera the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him to pay the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab.

16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.

Ehud had made for himself a cubit long double-edged sword, and he strapped it to his right thigh under his clothes.

17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

He came and presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab, who was a very fat man.

18 When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.

Then after delivering the tribute he sent home those who had helped carry it.

19 But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.

But when he reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He went to see Eglon, and told him, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.” The king told his attendants, “Silence!” and they all left.

20 Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat.

Ehud then went over to where Eglon was sitting alone in his cool upstairs room, and told him, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king got up from his seat,

21 Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.

Ehud grabbed his sword with his left hand from his right thigh and drove it into Eglon's belly.

22 The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

The handle went in with the blade and the fat closed over it. So Ehud didn't pull the sword out, and the king defecated.

23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.

Then Ehud closed and locked the doors, and escaped through the toilet.

24 After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”

After he had left, the servants came and saw that the doors of the room were locked. “He must be using the toilet,” they concluded.

25 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.

So they waited until they couldn't stand it any more, and since he still hadn't opened the doors of the room, they went and found the key and opened the doors. There was their lord, lying dead on the floor.

26 Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.

While the servants delayed acting, Ehud escaped, passing the stone idols and on to Seirah.

27 When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.

When he got there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites joined him. They went down from the hills, with Ehud leading them.

28 He said to them, “Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.

He told them, “Follow me, for the Lord has handed Moab, your enemy, over to you.” So they followed him down and took control of the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab. They didn't let anyone cross.

29 They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valor. No man escaped.

Then they attacked the Moabites and killed around 10,000 of their best and strongest fighting men. Not a single one escaped.

30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.

Moab was conquered that day and made subject to Israel, and the country was at peace for eighty years.

31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.

After Ehud was Shamgar, son of Anath, who killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He also rescued Israel.